Supervisor, Contract Manufacturing

Company Description

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER.  It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Team:

The Contract Manufacturing team is responsible for developing and executing the company's external manufacturing strategy to support business growth, product innovation, and supply chain resilience. The team serves as a critical link between internal stakeholders and global manufacturing partners, ensuring the organization has the right supplier capabilities, capacity, quality, and cost structures to meet current and future business needs.

Working cross-functionally with Procurement, Product Development, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Commercial teams, the Contract Manufacturing team oversees the lifecycle of manufacturing partnerships from supplier identification and onboarding through performance management, capacity planning, and strategic business reviews.

The team drives the optimization of the manufacturing network by evaluating sourcing opportunities, managing supplier performance, mitigating operational and business risks, and identifying continuous improvement initiatives. Through strong collaboration with senior leadership and key external partners, the team enables scalable growth, enhances supply continuity, and supports the successful commercialization of new products while maintaining high standards of quality, compliance, and operational excellence.

Job Description

The Opportunity:

Mattel is seeking a Supervisor Contract Manufacturing who is proactive and detail-oriented professional with experience in contract manufacturing, supplier management, and production operations. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who can effectively coordinate with internal teams and manufacturing partners to ensure products are delivered on time, within budget, and to quality expectations.

What Your Impact Will Be:

- Support capacity and capability planning activities for new product introductions with manufacturing partners to help ensure production readiness and business requirements are met.
- Monitor production readiness, capacity utilization, and project milestones, and escalate potential risks, constraints, or bottlenecks to management as appropriate.
- Work closely with Product Development, Engineering, Sourcing, and manufacturing partners to understand cost drivers and support cost improvement initiatives.
- Coordinate with Supply Chain Planning, Sourcing, and manufacturing partners to help ensure production capacity, materials, and components are available to support forecasted demand and production schedules.
- Track supply risks and ramp-up activities for new product launches and assist in implementing contingency plans to minimize disruptions.
- Act as a key point of contact between manufacturing partners and internal teams to facilitate effective communication and information sharing.
- Coordinate cross-functional meetings and provide regular updates on program status, action items, risks, and mitigation plans.
- Support the resolution of manufacturing, quality, tooling, capacity, scheduling, and cost-related issues by working with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
- Monitor supplier performance and identify opportunities for process improvements to support operational efficiency and delivery goals.
- Maintain project documentation, manufacturing records, and reporting to ensure accurate tracking of program progress.
- Support new product introduction and contract manufacturing initiatives, and perform other duties as assigned to meet business objectives.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

- Experience in contract manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, operations, or a related manufacturing environment.
- Experience supporting production, supplier management, new product introductions, or manufacturing operations.
- Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with manufacturing partners and suppliers.
- Familiarity with supplier performance monitoring, cost management, and issue resolution.
- Basic understanding of manufacturing, supply chain, and operational risks, with the ability to identify issues and escalate concerns when needed.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
- Experience working with Supply Chain, Procurement, Product Development, Quality, Operations, or related functions.
- Good analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data, track performance, and support decision-making.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to work independently while contributing effectively as part of a team.

Additional Information

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:
We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

- We collaborate:  Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
- We innovate:  At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
- We execute:  We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:
We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

Who We Are:
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at  https://jobs.mattel.com/  and  www.instagram.com/MattelCareers .

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy